


When You See [Her] Tender Side

by IfYouDontMeanIt



Series: Love Is... [4]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Billy Clanton - Freeform, Earp Homestead (Wynonna Earp), F/F, Mommy voice, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Short One Shot, Teen Crush, Teenagers, Wayhaught - Freeform, Whiskey - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:16:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28558215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IfYouDontMeanIt/pseuds/IfYouDontMeanIt
Summary: “Pray tell us, is it Billy whom we are discussing?”“The Clanton kid of that creepy junkyard woman?”“Guys…”It’s one thing to live with and care for an adult who acts like a teenager; living with and caring for an actual teenager is another...
Relationships: Nicole Haught & Rachel Valdez (Wynonna Earp TV), Waverly Earp & Nicole Haught, Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Series: Love Is... [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813672
Comments: 2
Kudos: 51





	When You See [Her] Tender Side

**Author's Note:**

> Hello world! We made it out of 2020 and into 2021 largely scathed. Hoping you all are surviving the first few days of 2021 decently enough (but who are we kidding?)
> 
> I totally let this Series slip and just got back into writing one-shots for it since last semester of grad school took almost all of my time away. Enjoy this Wayhaught (more like platonic Rachel/Nicole ?) one-shot. This scene I conjured up has been in my head for WEEKS and I'm excited to finally put it in writing and upload it to AO3. 
> 
> PLEASE NOTE: this work was not beta-read (partially because I was too excited to get this out into the world). All mistakes are my own. The characters and settings mentioned herein do not belong to me.
> 
> Have fun reading and don't forget to give Kudos and/or comment :) 
> 
> \--

It’s one thing to live with and care for an adult who acts like a teenager; living with and caring for an actual teenager is another. While Nicole Haught wasn’t necessarily a mom, she’s grown into her pseudo role quite well ever since running into Rachel on a long walk just outside of Purgatory and becoming her unofficial-official guardian less than two years ago. While their relationship took some time to blossom, they couldn’t imagine life without the other. Meeting the rest of the gang was easy for Rachel: her laid back witty attitude complimented Wynonna’s well and managed to surprise Doc on countless occasions. She’d only met Jeremy a few times and warmed up to Waverly quickly, despite their first interaction being a post-coital, kombucha-offering chat in the kitchen. Things were pretty good for Rachel in this found family of hers.

Except for when things weren’t. Rachel was still a teenager and had her fair share of drama that came with most people her age.

She stormed into the Homestead, clearly annoyed as Nicole trailed behind her, followed by Waverly, who caught the door just before it slammed against the wall. The brunette closed it gently before hanging her jeep keys on the hooks by the kitchen, unsure of whether to speak up. Rachel didn’t think her current predicament could get any worse until she walked into the kitchen where Wynonna and Doc were. 

“Yo, Small-dez,” Wynonna greeted through sips of whiskey, “what’s gotten you all riled up?”

“Rachel!” The two adults turned to see Nicole, who looked equally—if not more—annoyed at the youngest member of their group. The seventeen-year-old silently poured herself a glass of water, clearly ignoring the redhead. “Will you just listen for a second?!”

“What, and have you tell me I can’t see the only person who understands me?” Rachel spat, leaning against the counter with everyone else watching. “I didn’t even do anything!”

“But he did!” Nicole countered. 

“Pray tell us, is it Billy whom we are discussing?” Doc asked.

“The Clanton kid of that creepy junkyard woman?” Wynonna added.

“Guys…” Waverly whispered, not wanting things to escalate with everyone involved.

“Yes!” Nicole and Rachel yelled simultaneously, effectively shutting everyone up. Rachel continued, directing her words at Nicole. “And we aren’t talking about anything.” Something in Nicole’s brain switched—a feeling more maternal and fiery than ever before.

“Rachel Valdez,” Nicole started, startling everyone else at the use of the girl’s full name, “Billy pulled a knife on you in the junkyard and ran after you with no one else around. You’re lucky we were driving by and heard you scream. What if something worse happened?”  


“He was only doing that to protect me!” Rachel countered unconvincingly, “you know how his mom is with visitors…”

“You mean Earps or ‘Earp-lovers’, as Margot calls us?” Wynonna added against her best judgement. “She’s not our closest buddy, if you recall the history lesson Doc and Waverly gave us.” Waverly glared at her sister, not wanting to be dragged into this heated dispute.

“I’m sorry—I know Billy’s a nice guy and you like him, but you can’t see someone who’s willing to pull a weapon on you, especially when he knows you can’t protect yourself.” Nicole cursed herself for her last remark, which infuriated Rachel even more.

“So now you’re saying I can’t even protect myself? I’m seventeen, Nicole. I’m practically an adult!”

“Age doesn’t always matter when it comes to being in danger—and you’re at least eight years younger than the youngest adult here.”

“That is most certainly true,” Doc uttered without looking at either arguing woman. Rachel finished her water before placing the glass in the sink just under the amount of force it would’ve taken to break it. She reached for a granola bar in the drawer next to the fridge and opened it hurriedly.

“Ugh, I feel like I’m being babied,” the black-haired young adult huffed. “Isn’t there an adult around here who’ll listen to me?”

“Seeing Billy is too dangerous—Margot Clanton even more so. I can’t let you keep seeing him.” Nicole placed a hand on her jeans-clad hip with a deep breath, attempting to calm down.

“Who said anything about ‘let’?”

‘Who said anything about talking back?”

“Jeez, Nicole,” / “Haught…,” Waverly and Wynonna tried interjecting simultaneously. Things were getting more heated in this small-ass kitchen.

“I’m so sick of your attitude right now—can’t believe I’m using my mommy voice…”

“Well you don’t need to keep using it—you’re not my mom,” Rachel looked at everyone else, “and none of you are my parents. So please just leave me alone!” With that, the youngest person in the room headed outside and towards the barn, successfully leaving everyone else in silence, if only for a few seconds. Nicole made a move to chase after the girl before she felt a hand grab her wrist. She was surprised to see that it wasn’t Waverly, but rather her best friend.

“Let her go,” Wynonna said softly, “she’ll come around sooner or later, trust me.”

“I commend you on your care of Rachel,” Doc said, pierce blue eyes meeting mocha, “she is certainly a tricky one at her age. It is hard to stop the heart from wanting what it wants, no matter the danger.” Waverly was about to add something, but opted to smile understandingly at her girlfriend. Rachel and Nicole rarely fought—when they did, however, they needed time to cool down before revisiting or closing out what one of them started. Nicole let out an exasperated sigh and locked eyes with Waverly before wordlessly exiting the kitchen and heading upstairs.

~A FEW HOURS LATER~

Rachel sat on Wynonna’s bed—the barn bed— thumbing through the scruffy journal she kept in her jacket pocket. It contained a mix of her own writing and neatly folded letters that Billy had written her over the past few months, the handwriting scrawly yet legible only to her. As she finished reading one of Billy’s last notes, she heard footsteps grow closer, followed by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Unsurprised at the visitor, Rachel tucked the journal into its rightful place in her coat and spun her head towards the entrance. 

“Hey,” Nicole said softly, “I brought you dinner—figured that granola bar wasn’t enough; and I know how you don’t like to eat when angry.” Rachel’s silence was a resigned yet oddly welcoming response, her eyes inviting Nicole closer. The older woman walked over to the teenager and sat down on the floor in front of her, handing the food to her.

“Waverly’s vegan chili?” Rachel asked, a familiar smirk stretched across her face.

“Fortunately and unfortunately,” Chuckled Nicole, “it’s seasoned really well, though. Waverly hit the nail on the head with this one.” The two sat in a growingly comfortable silence as Rachel ate, careful not to spill or burn herself. Once she was done, she scooted across the bed to make room for Nicole. 

“Look, about before—”

“I’m sorry,” Rachel interrupted, unable to meet Nicole’s gaze. She reached back into her jacket for her journal and fiddled with it briefly before continuing. “I just…I really thought Billy was a good guy, you know? He’s sweet, funny, and...” Rachel trailed off, unsure of what to say given the recent turn of events. She never believed Billy would try and hurt her—she knew he wouldn’t actually harm her, even though she was terrified in the moment. 

“I always felt off about Billy,” Nicole began, making it clear that she didn’t necessarily dislike the boy, “not because of who he is, but because of his behavior towards you, at least when around any of us or his neck of the woods.”

“So his mom is an Earp-hater or hater of Earp-lovers, huh?”  
“And with plenty of baggage trickling down,” Nicole offered.

“Doesn’t everyone have baggage, though? Wynonna, Waverly, Doc…Even you and me.”

“You’re not wrong.” Nicole placed a protective hand on Rachel’s back and rubbed softly. Rachel sank into the touch, internally grateful that she had entered the barn moments ago. “But it’s what you choose to do with your baggage and previous life experiences. Everyone will make errors and might lash out occasionally. It’s more important to consider how you act on your baggage. I’m no saint with all of this.”

“That’s for sure.” Rachel joked through a shaking voice and tears welling in her eyes. Nicole rolled her eyes playfully. “You know…I was scared. Ugh, I can’t believe I admitted that.”

“You’re just like Wynonna in that way—in many ways, actually.”

“I thought Billy would be different.”

Nicole continued, her hand now escaping to Rachel’s head, where she combed motherly through dark locks. “He is and will be—though now he’s not in a good place, especially since he’s still living with Margot. Rachel, I never want to make you feel like I’m controlling what you do or who you see, and I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel like this since seeing Billy. No matter how nice someone is or how much you like someone and vice-versa, you shouldn’t have to be with someone who seriously threatens you, even if it’s disguised as protection. Granted, Wynonna did drug me a while ago, but that’s beside the point.”

“Do you think Billy still has feelings for me?” Rachel asked, feeling discouraged and melancholy. She felt her body move forward as Nicole did something solemnly done with anyone except for Waverly, especially during emotionally intimate moments such as this one. Rachel melted into the hug, finding solace in the warmth of Nicole’s embrace and brown coat. They sat like that for a few minutes; Nicole holding Rachel as the latter let tears and her emotions spring free, both feeling like they entered a deeper, more understanding stage of their relationship. Nicole pulled away and wiped at Rachel’s eyes, careful not to prolong the action as she knows Rachel would pull a Wynonna and act like she’s had enough “sappy comforting.” 

Nicole breathed in before answering. “I know he does. You two will always have a place for each other in your hearts, as cheesy as it sounds.” 

“Ugh, gross—I thought you were only a cheeseball with Waverly,” Rachel jested. “Um…Thanks for being the parental figure. I mean, you’re more of an older sister and it’s annoying as hell, but…It’s something I’ve needed and still need.” 

“Anytime, Rachel. I’m glad we have each other and that you’re part of our family.” Nicole stood, leading Rachel to follow. “Oh, don’t forget your journal.” Rachel turned and grabbed the small book before smiling softly at Nicole. She gave a small nudge to Nicole’s side with her shoulder and ambled out of the barn, feeling slightly better than she did earlier in the day. Nicole left the barn, stopping when she saw a smaller figure out of the corner of her eye. “How long have you been there?”

“Would’ve been rude to interrupt, no?” Waverly pushed off against the side of the barn and walked towards Nicole, who welcomed her with open arms (literally). The air was chilly with the sun almost set as they stood wrapped in each other’s hold. Nicole ran fingers through Waverly’s hair as the younger woman nuzzled her neck.

“I’m sorry if my yelling scared you,” Nicole admitted, registering that she too felt calmer since the incident hours before. “I know I’m not Rachel’s mother—nor could I ever come close to it.”

“You worry and you’re a protector,” Waverly offered in support, “and that’s what I love about you. You know, I don’t really get to see this tender side of you much.”

“What are you talking about?! I’m tender with you all the time,” Nicole affirmed. 

“This is different, though,” Waverly pondered, “it’s…Motherly—vulnerability that I know is challenging for you to tap into sometimes. Teenagers can be the worst!” Nicole kissed Waverly’s cheek before intertwining their fingers and leading them back to the Homestead. 

“Are you saying I’d be a bad or overly-guarded parent?” 

“Not at all,” Waverly cooed. Before entering the Homestead, Waverly spun around on the front porch step, blocking Nicole from moving froward. She leaned in and placed her lips softly on Nicole’s as they reveled in the warmth of the contact. When they parted, Waverly simply smiled. “Quite the opposite, actually.”


End file.
